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Family heads into walk-in cooler as tornado hits

WeatherWatch 12 meteorologist Sally Severson meets a family was at the family restaurant getting for dinner when the Oklahoma tornado hit.

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Updated: 8:39 PM CDT May 21, 2013

Family heads into walk-in cooler as tornado hits

WeatherWatch 12 meteorologist Sally Severson meets a family was at the family restaurant getting for dinner when the Oklahoma tornado hit.

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Updated: 8:39 PM CDT May 21, 2013

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WEBVTT TO CLEAR THE DEBRIS OUT OF THEIR YARDS AS THEY BEGIN TO TRY PIECING TOGETHER THEIR LIVES. A FIRST LOOK AT THE DEVASTATION. YOU ARE MENTIONING HOW MUDDY IT IS. THEY HAVE HAD A LOT OF RAIN HERE RECENTLY. JUST THE MUD THAT IS ALL OVER THE BUILDINGS, AND THAT KIND OF THING, IS SURPRISING TO ME. ALL RISE -- PULVERIZED COMES TO MIND. IT HAS BEEN AN AMAZING TO SEE WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN JUST A SHORT. OF TIME. BUILDINGS CAME APART AS THE STORM WAS ON A RAMPAGE. THIS IS MOORE. THIS STRIP MALL WAS GETTING READY FOR THE EVENING DINNER HOUR. THEY HAD TO GET READY FOR THE INNER DASH EVENING DINNER HOUR. THEY KNEW ABOUT THE PENDING STORMS. THEY HAD TO PREPARE FOR THEIR GAS. THERE WAS NO BASEMENT IN THIS STRIP MALL. THE ONLY THEY COULD DO WAS HEAD TO THE COOLER. MY DAD AND MY AUNT WERE HIDING IN THE REFRIGERATOR. DO YOU THINK THAT SAVE THEM? YES. WHETHER ANY OTHER PEOPLE HERE? NO. I THINK THEY ARE THE ONLY PEOPLE HERE IN THE WHOLE SHOPPING CENTER. FAMILY MEMBERS WERE THERE AS THEY DUG THROUGH THE RUBBLE. WE WILL SHOW YOU MORE PICTURES COMING UP. THEY WERE PICKING OUT THINGS LIKE WATERING PICTURES AND CANS OF FOOD, ANYTHING THEY COULD SALVAGE, TRYING TO PULL THEM OUT. THE FAMILIES GOING THROUGH THESE -- THEY WILL DECIDE IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS IF THEY ARE GOING TO TRY TO REBUILD. THAT BUILDING IS A TOTAL LOSS. WHAT'S COVERING A TORNADO IN THE 70S OUT THERE, PEOPLE WILL LOOK FOR PICTURES AND CHECKBOOKS. THE CLEANUP EFFORTS, HAVE YOU GOTTEN A SENSE OF HOW IT IS GOING? THAT IS REALLY AMAZING. FIRST I WOULD SAY ALMOST EVERY OTHER VEHICLE IS EITHER LAW- ENFORCEMENT AM A NATIONAL GUARD, OR SOME SORT OF SUPPORT VEHICLE. I HAVE A TEAM OF HUMVEES RUNNING THROUGH THE PARKING LOT RIGHT NOW. AS YOU LOOK AT PEOPLE DRIVING BY, IF PICKUP TRUCKS WITH TRAILERS, IT IS DUMP TRUCKS, IT IS IN LOADERS. PRIVATE BUSINESSES HAVE HIGHER COMPANIES TO TRY TO CLEAN UP, BOARD UP. IT CARS AND TRUCKS COMING IN AND OUT, HAULING OUT DEBRIS AND RUBBLE. MANY PEOPLE ANGRY, ONE WOMAN WE RAN INTO EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON AND GOOD WITH THE LAW ENFORCEMENT. SHE WAS JUST TRYING TO CLEAN UP. THEY WERE CONCERNED FOR HER SAFETY. SHE SAYS THIS IS MY PROPERTY. I HAVE TO CLEAN UP. OTHER PEOPLE ARE GRATEFUL AND THANKFUL. THERE IS A STRATEGY THAT STUDY -- THERE IS A STEADY RUN OF TRAFFIC. THAT IS WHAT HAS BEEN SAID -- SAID -- SUPPORT -- SURPRISING TO ME.

Family heads into walk-in cooler as tornado hits

WeatherWatch 12 meteorologist Sally Severson meets a family was at the family restaurant getting for dinner when the Oklahoma tornado hit.